HOLLAND (WHTC-AM/FM) — U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, a St. Joseph Republican, and Rep. Peter Meijer of Grand Rapids, broke with party leadership to vote for the creation of a Jan. 6 Commission to investigate the riot, deaths and attacks on police at the U.S. Capitol. The measure passed, 252-175.
The full text of the H.R. 3233 is online: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3233/text?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22H.R.+3233%22%5D%7D&r=1&s=1
Upton, speaking before the vote, said, “Jan. 6 is going to haunt this institution for a long, long time.
“No, it was not the joyous day on Capitol Hill with our constituents celebrating the start of a new Congress, and a new Administration. COVID came first, and then this. So, nearly five months later, we still don’t have the answers to the basic questions: Who knew what, when? What did they do about it?”
He said XXXX He went on to thank H.R. 3233’s bipartisan co-sponsors: Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-MS, and Rep. John Katko, R-NY. He went on to praise the police officers who responded to the riots.
“If it had not been for the brave capital and Metropolitan police men and women that day, who knows how many of our heads would have been swinging on those gallows that were constructed on the east front of the Capitol?” Upton said. “I talked to the exhausted SWAT team members, the police, and watched some of the body cams (videos). I talked to some of our still-shaken college who endured that day. We need the answers, not political rhetoric. That’s what this bipartisan commission can provide for all of us. For our country. Let the truth shine in.”
Rep. Bill Huizenga, a Zeeland Republican voted along party lines, along with fellow House Republicans: Jack Bergman, Watersmeet; Lisa C. McClain, Bruce; John R. Moolenaar, Midland; and Tim Walberg, Tipton.
Huizenga later emailed a statement to media indicating he released the following statement after voting against H.R. 3233.
“While the narrative surrounding this commission has been that it will be bipartisan, the fine print tells a different story. Democrats alone would control the process for requesting information from federal agencies as well as selecting key staff positions within the commission. With one party controlling the information as well as senior staff, I don’t believe an objective, non-partisan conclusion can be delivered by the commission as the legislation is currently written. If the Senate were to address these concerns and send amended legislation back to the House, I would give serious consideration to supporting it.”
On WHTC Thursday morning, Huizenga suggested the formation of the commission is “a distraction,” adding that he believed the bill is part of a political agenda.
“Look at the origins of where this came from — they’re trying to are this into nest year and into the next election. Why? Because Joe Biden has been a disaster for our economy,” Huizenga said.
Dr. Rob Davidson, a Spring Lake emergency room doctor who ran against Huizenga in 2018, tweeted that he was ashamed of Huizenga’s vote.
Ashamed of my representative, @RepHuizenga, for voting against the January 6th Commission. What on earth are they hiding?
— Dr. Rob Davidson #GetVaccinated (@DrRobDavidson) May 20, 2021
The commission would be comprised of 10 members:
One appointed jointly by the Speaker of the House and the majority leader of the Senate to serve as Chairperson of the Commission;
One appointed jointly by the minority leader of the House and the minority leader of the Senate to serve as Vice Chairperson of the Commission;
Two appointed by the Speaker of the House
Two members appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives;
Two members shall be appointed by the majority leader of the Senate; and
Two members shall be appointed by the minority leader of the Senate.
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